Hypertension rate in renal graft recipients operated on at the Transplantation Centre, IKEM, in 1976-1981.

A group of 198 renal transplantations performed et our Centre in 1976-1981 was evaluated. Arterial hypertension within the first two weeks following transplantation developed in 83% of patients, in 43% being severe. Later, towards the end of the first year, less patients suffered from arterial hypertension, especially of severe hypertension. In this period, hypertension occurred in about 63%, in most cases in the mild form (50%). Patients with graft functioning for more than a year had hypertension, mostly mild, in about 43%. The incidence of hypertension in our group was, however, increased if "normotensives" taking antihypertensives were included. We may conclude that in the first year following renal transplantation true normotensive patients formed approximately 10% of the total and their number in the subsequent years raised up to 50%. The values of blood pressure in the 3rd to 4th months had a predictive significance for the further course of hypertension. In this period, patients with hypertension had a markedly worse cumulative graft survival compared with the remaining subjects. This finding supports the importance of energetic antihypertensive therapy.